Disposition of inflammable gases.



A SPICE. DISPOSITION OF INFLAMMABLE GASES. Arnie/mom men NOV.10, m1.RENEWED act. 19. 1318.

' 1,302,871. Patented May 6,1919.

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R? I 'M W UNITED STATES PATENT 0FFIGE.

ALFRED SPICE, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY.

DISPOSITION OF INFLAMMABLE GASES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 10, 1917, Serial No. 201,354. Renewed October19, 1918. Serial No. 258,911.

To all who/"- it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED Smear-,a citizen of the United States, andresiding in Jersey City, in the State of New Jersey, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Disposition of Inflammable Gases,of which the following'is a specification, reference being had to theaccompanying, drawing. forming a part hereof.

In various industries gases are generated or set freeor found which,although perhaps not dangerous in small quantities, become potentialsources of dan er if allowed to accumulate. Thus, in mining. the minegases become exceedingly dangerous if allowed to accumulate and'to formexplosive mixtures with air, whereas if they can be disposed of as theyare set free they cease to constitute a source of danger. So in met:allurgy and other arts which involve processes of industrial chemistrygases are generated which are dangerous only if permitted to accumulate.In the use of electrical storage batteries the hydrogen developed went.the development of would COHStltlltP no source of danger if it could beremoved as it is generated, but as is well known, if permitted toaccumulate and to mix with air it forms a hi hly dangerous'explosivevmixture, so that t e use of storage batteries, in submarines,which may otherwise be best suited for the purpose but evolve hydrogenfreely, becomes practically impossible. It has been proposed heretoforeto provide means whereby the resence of a gas in dangerous quantitiessha l he indicated so that precautions may then be taken to remove thegas; it has also been proposed to explode the mixture of a dangerous gaswith air in small quantities, within a confined space, so that theexplosion shall not be harmful. These efiorts to solve the problempresented have not led to satisfactory results in practice and the plansproposed have not been adop It is'the-object of this invention, not topredangerous combustible gases nor merely to indicate the presence atsuch gases (although their presence is actually indicated by theoperation of the invention), but to provide for the disposition or theelimination of the gas, which might become dangerous. as thesame isformed; in accordance with the invention the gas whichmight becomedangerous is. burned or combined with oxygen, but

'sents, in a diagrauunatic way,

ted generally.

. after without. flame, as it is developed, provision being made wherebythe gas shall be completely burned regardless of the volume in which itisevolved or generated or set free. The invention has been developedwith particular reference to the safe disposition of the hydrogengenerated by the storage batteries in submarine use, in which notelltale bubbles can be permitted toescape into the water, but all thegas and the products of the combustion must be retained within the hullof the submarine. however. that the invention is capable of successfulapplication under other condi-v tions and that it is generallyapplicable wherever a gas is found or set free or generated which iscapable of combustion or combination with the oxygen of the air. Theinvention will hemore fully explained hereinafter with reference to theaccompanying drawing, the single figure of which reprea form ofapparatus suitable for the practice of the invention.

In the drawin there is represented at a an open vessel w ich acts as areceiver for the gases which are to be disposed of. It might be achamber in an industrial plant or a hooded space over the storagebattery, or any other form of vessel or receiver in which the gases tobe disposed of are gatheredand from which they may be conducted to theplace of combustion and into which air to sustain the combustion of thegases may be admitted freely. In the drawing this receiver is shown a,for the reception of the gases andof air. Communicating with thereceiver a are a tube or duct 7) which is preferably of small capacityand always open and may be called a pilot tube. and one or moreadditional tubes or ducts b, ber of the tubes b. b, etc., will be.varied according to the capacity ofthe apparatus and each of these tubesis normally closed by a valve 0', 0, etc., each of such valyes beingautomatically controlled, as hereindescribed, so that the apparatusshall respond immediately in capacity to the volume of gas receive byit. All of the tubes b, b, etc., within which the combustion of the gasis carried on, as hereinafter described, may discharge the products ofcombustion directly into the atmosphere. or preferably, as indicated inthe drawing, into It will be obvious,

to be open at its end b, b and b. The nummaintaining a flow of gas, orof a nixture of gas and air, through the apparatus 1n 1 proportion tothe delivery of gas to the apparatus. m,

I In each of the tubes I), 1), etc., 1s suitably disposed a resistancewire f, f, etc., which.

In operation, is maintained by an electric current at a dull red heat,whereby the mixture of gas and'air, as it passes through the tube and isbrought into contact with the resistance wire, is heated and thecombination of the gas with the oxygen of the air is effected, theproducts of combustion, namely,

the water vapor, produced by the chemical combination of hydrogen andsome of the oxygen of the air, and the air, somewhat depleted of oxygen,passing through the tube J to the place of delivery. In the applicationof the invention to the disposition of the hydrogen gas developed by thestorage batteries of a submarine, the tube ll may well be conductedalong the shell of the hull, so as to be cooled and then made todischarge the air and water vapor Within the hull of the submarine,where the air is again en riched with oxygen in the usual manner.

The resistance wire f in the pilot tube b is in circuit with a battery 9and is maintained by the current therefrom, continuously, at a dull redheat. The resistance wire f forms a part of an ordinary Wheatstonebridge arrangement h in the other part of which isincluded the coil of agalvanometer, indicated generally at k, and having the .usual needle mwhichv forms a part of an electric circuit or circuits as hereinafterexplained.

The galvanometer is provided with a segmental series of contacts m, metc., the function of which is to initiate the opening of the valves 0',c segmental series of contacts n, n etc., the function of which, inconnection with the needle m is to initiate the closing'of the valves0', 6 etc. Simultaneously withthe opening and the closing of the severalvalves 0, 0 etc., the fan and motor (1'. d are speeded up or sloweddown, as the case may be, to vary the flow of the mixture of air and gasthrough the apparatus, in proportion to the quantity of gas delivered tothe appara- 5 tus, any substantial variation in the quantity of gasdelivered being compensated for by a corresponding change in thequantity of air flowing through the apparatus, so that the combustion ofthe mixture remains substantiallythe same and favorable for completecombustionot the gas.

The galvanometer needle m is connected electrically, by a wire m with acommon battery m9, and each of the contacts m, m etc., is connected by awire 0', 0 with a coretc., and with another responding relay coil p, 39etc., each relay coil being connected by a return wire 0 '0, etc., withthe common battery m.

Each of the contacts a, n etc., isconnected with a relay coil r, r etc.,and each coil is connected by a wire If, 9, etc., to the common batterym and thence, by-the wire m to the needle m of the galvanometer. The tworelay coils p 1", 7F 1, etc.. of each pair act upon apivoted switchmember .s",

etc., which is connected electrically through a wlre s 8, etc., wlth anlncluded battery to a point common to two solenoids for each valve 0, 0One contact 2?, t etc., for the corresponding switch s, 8 etc., isconnected by a wire t 25 etc., to the corresponding binding post of aresistance box 2 for the motor (I of the fan 03', and thence by a returnwire t, f, etc., to the corresponding resistance wire f, F, and thenceto the solenoid coil .11, '0 etc.,each coil c o etc., being connected tothe common point and thence, by the corresponding wire 3 s, etc., to theswitch 8, .9 etc.

The other contact point 10, w, etc., for each switch s, 5- etc., isconnected by a corresponding wire 705, 717 etc., with the correspondingsolenoid coil-ac, .70 etc., and thence by the common connection and thecorresponding wire s 8-, etc., with the common battery, to the switch 8,.9 etc.

It will be understood that each resistance wire f, f, f is heated by thepassage of cur rent through it to a heat (usually a dull red heat)sufficient to bring about the combustion of the inflammable gas-of themixture which passes through the corresponding tube 6, 6, etc. a

When the delivery of gas to the apparatus is at a minimum, such that allof the gas, to

gether with the air admixed with it. can pass through the pilot tube 6,which -is.always open, the wire '7 continues at a dull 'red heatsufficient to bring about the combustion of the gas in the mixture whichthen passes through the tube, and the needle m of the galvanometer restsupon the contact n, .all of the valves 0, 0 being then closed. If thequantity of gas delivered to the apparatus increases above the minimumthe combustion thereof in the tube 6 will increase the temperature ofthe wire and thereby increase its resistance, so that the galvanometerneedle will be caused to move from its normal position of rest towardthe right. When the temperature of the wire 7 increases sufficiently thegal- Vanometer needle will pass over th contact m, thereby closing thecircuit through the relay p which will immediately act to close thecircuit between the switch 8' and the contact-t and thereby alter theresistance in the resistance box i so that the motor (I will bespeeded'up and at the same time energize the solenoid coil 4;, so thatit will open the valve 0' and heat the wire f. The

etfect of opening the valve 0' will be to cause a larger volume of airto enter the receiver (1 and thus reduce the percentage of inflammablegas in the mixture then passing to the pilot tube or duct 1) and to thecombustion tube 7). The several speeds of the tan cl'are such as tomaintain a definite velocity of flow of the gaseous mixture through thepilot tube or duct and the combustion tubes whether the pilot tube orduct alone is in operation or the pilot tube or duct and one or more ofthe combustion tubes. When the percentage of inflammable gas in themixture is reduced by bringing into action an additional combustiontube. the temperature of the wire f in the pilot tube or duct will belowered and. through the consequent lowering of the resistance wire, theneedle will recede from the highest contact m. etc.. which it hasreached.v toward but not to the next lower contact of the series '11..etc. No effect will be produced as the needle moves from one contact ofthe series n, over a higher contact of the same series, as from thecontact n and over the contact M, because the valves 0', 0 etc., areclosed at the beginning. When the valve 0' opens and the resistance wiref in the tube b is heated by the passage of current, the greater volumeof gas delivered to the apparatus together with the greater volume ofair, through the speeding up of the fan or blower, will be combined withoxygen in the tubes b, 6 until the proportion of inflammable gas in themixture increases to such an extent as to bring about a further heatingof the resistance wire f, when a further movement of the galvanometerneedle will take place and in like manner the valve 0 will be opened,the wire f will be heated and the motor (1 will be further speeded up.In like manner the remaining valves may be opened in succession, theresistance wires in the respective tubes heated, and the motor furtherspeeded up so that the entire volume of gas delivered to the apparatuswill be burned as it is delivered, the volume of air necessary tomaintain the proper proportion of inflammable gas in the mixture beingincreased in like ratio. In its forward movement the galvanometer needlepasses from one of the contacts of the series n, a, etc., to thecorresponding contact of the series, m, m, etc., and the valves whichare opened by the passage of the needle over the contacts m, m etc., areunaffected by the passage of the needle over the contacts a, 11?, etc.The same is true with respect to the speed of the fan-motor and thecondition of the solenoids m, as. When, however, the galvanometer needlemoves backward, or from the right to the left, it passes from acontact'of the series m, m to a contact of the series 'n, n andtherefore brings about volume of gas delivered to it.

a successive closing of the valves 0 0 etc., a successive cutting out ofcurrent from the resistance Wires f, f etc., and a reduction of thespeed of the fan-motor. The capacity of the apparatus to dispose of thegas delivered to it therefore varies with the It will be observed, thatwhenever the percentage of inflammable gas in the mixture delivered tothe apparatus falls below a definite mimmum for the tubes which are openat the time, the consequently lowered temperature and resistance of thepilot wire f will cause the galvanometer needle to move in a directionto close one of the valves, shut off current from the resistance wire ofthe corresponding combustion tube, and reduce the speed of thefan-motor.

The invention, as will be readily understood, is not limited in itsapplication to the disposition of hydrogen gas from storage batteries,but is applicable to the disposition of inflammable gas derived fromother sources. So far as. the invention is embodied in apparatus it willalso be understood that the apparatus will be varied to suit difl'erentconditions of use and that the invention, except as pointed out in theclaims, is not'limited to the particular apparatus shown and describedherein. It will furthermore be observed that the gases are not allowedto accumulate, and are not consumed intermittently in a closed chamher,but are combined with oxygen (but without flame) continuously as theyare delivered to the apparatus, while the volume of air necessary forthe proper combustion of the gas is admitted freely at all times and thevolume which passes through the apparatus is at all times proportionedto the volume of gas delivered to the apparatus.

I claim as my invention:

1. The method of disposing of inflam mable gases which consists incausing a mixture of the gas and air to pass in contact with anelectrically heated resistance wire, and causing the variations intemperature of the resistance wire produced by variations in the qualityof the mixture to bring about a corresponding variation in the volume ofthe mixture.

' 2. An apparatus for the disposition of inflammable gases, the samecomprising a receiver for the gases open for the free admission of air,a tube through which the mixture of air and gas flows from the receiver,an electrically heated resistance wire in said tube to bring about thecombustion of the mixture, and means the operation of which is initiatedby the varying resistance of the wire with variations in thetemperaratus.

3. An apparatus for the disposition of inflammable gases, the samecomprising a .receiver for the gas open for the admission of air, a ductfor the delivery of the mixture of gas and air from the receiver, anelectrically heated resistance wire in said duct, a fan to create andmaintain a flow of the mixture through the apparatus, and means' theoperation of which is initiated by the varying resistanceiof the wirewith variations in the temperature of the Wire due to variations in thequality of the mixture, to vary the speed of the fan and therefore thevolume of the mixture passing through the apparatus.

4. An apparatus for the disposition of inflammable gases, the samecomprising a receiver for the gas open for the admission of air, a pilotduct through which the mixture is discharged from the receiver, a secondduct through which the mixture may be discharged from the receiver, avalve to control the second duct, an electrically heated re 7' sistanceWire in the pilot duct, an electrically heated Wire in the second duct,and

means the operation of which is initiated by the varying resistance ofthe wire in the plot duct with variations in the tempera- 'ture of thewire due to variations in the ceiver for the gas open for the admissionof the air, a pilot duct through which the mixture is dehvered from thereceiver, a second duct through which the mixture may be delivered fromthe receiver, a valve to control the second duct, an electrically drivenfan to maintain the flow of the mixture through the apparatus, anelectrically heated resistance wire in the pilot duct, an electricallyheated resistance wire in the second duct, and means the operation'ofwhich is initiated by the varying resistance of the resistance wire inthe pilot duct with variations in the quality of the mixture to com trolthe valve of the second duct and to control the speed of the fan.

This specification signed this .5th day of .November 1917.

